On October 23, 2026, a significant prisoner exchange took place in Ukraine, resulting in the return of 86 illegally convicted soldiers and one defender who was facing criminal prosecution. This was reported by the Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
Details of the Prisoner Exchange
The exchange was the result of several months of negotiations, and according to Lubinets, this is the largest number of returned soldiers at once. Among those released are seriously ill and severely wounded soldiers, including some in critical condition. Two of the returned Ukrainians had been captured back in 2018 and 2020, meaning they spent 8 and 6 years in captivity, respectively.
Age and Condition of the Released Soldiers
The released soldiers represent a range of ages:
- the youngest is 24 years old;
- the oldest is 63 years old;
- one of the defenders will celebrate his 60th birthday on his native soil tomorrow.
All those returned were confirmed to be in captivity through the International Committee of the Red Cross and other sources, highlighting the importance of international support in the exchange process.
Ukraine's Future Plans
Lubinets noted that Ukraine will continue to work on the return of those who have been in captivity the longest, as well as seriously ill and severely wounded individuals, and civilian captives. This exchange is an important step towards a humanitarian resolution of the issue of prisoners.